Scalloped potatoes and pork chops make a comforting, oven-baked dinner with tender bone-in pork layered over creamy sliced potatoes and onion. It is hearty, dependable, family-friendly, and made in one baking dish with simple ingredients.
This is the kind of dinner that works especially well when you want something substantial without juggling several pans on the stove. Thin potato slices slowly bake with milk, butter, onion, and flour, creating a creamy sauce right in the casserole dish while the potatoes become tender.
Adding the pork chops partway through the cooking time keeps the whole meal together without overcomplicating the process. The pork juices mingle with the potatoes underneath, while the final uncovered bake gives the exposed edges of the potatoes a lightly browned finish.
Because the casserole cooks in stages, both parts of the dish have enough time to reach the right texture. You get tender potatoes, bubbling sauce, and seasoned pork chops in one warm, satisfying main course.
Scalloped Potatoes and Pork Chops Ingredients
You only need a short list of familiar ingredients for this homestyle casserole. The potatoes, milk, flour, and butter work together to create the scalloped potato base without requiring you to prepare a separate sauce first.
Yukon Gold potatoes: Thinly sliced potatoes form the base of the casserole. Yukon Golds are especially useful because their naturally creamy texture holds up nicely during the long bake.
All-purpose flour: Sprinkled between the layers, the flour helps thicken the milk and butter into a creamy sauce as everything bakes.
Finely diced onion: Onion adds gentle savory flavor throughout the potato layers. A fine dice helps it soften completely rather than leaving large pieces behind.
Milk: Milk provides the liquid needed to cook the potatoes and create the creamy sauce. Whole milk is a good option when you prefer a richer result.
Unsalted butter: Butter is used both to grease the baking dish and to enrich the layered potatoes as they cook.
Salt and black pepper: Simple seasoning allows the flavor of the pork, potatoes, butter, and onion to remain the focus.
Bone-in pork chops: About 1-inch-thick chops sit on top of the potatoes during the second stage of baking. Bone-in chops work particularly well for this longer oven method.
Cooking Steps
STEP 1: Heat your oven to 350°F and prepare a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Use a small portion of the measured butter to coat the bottom and sides thoroughly so the potatoes release more easily when served.
STEP 2: Spread about half of the thinly sliced potatoes across the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle over half of the flour and diced onion, add several small pats of butter, and season lightly with salt and black pepper. Repeat with the remaining potatoes, flour, onion, and butter.
STEP 3: Slowly pour the milk across the layered potatoes, aiming to distribute it throughout the entire baking dish. Cover the pan securely with foil and bake for 30 minutes. This first baking period gives the potatoes a head start before the pork is added.
STEP 4: While the potatoes begin baking, season both sides of the pork chops with salt and black pepper. After the first 30 minutes, carefully remove the casserole from the oven, uncover it, and gently stir the potato mixture. This redistributes the flour, milk, and butter and encourages more even cooking.
STEP 5: Arrange the seasoned pork chops over the partially cooked potatoes in a single layer. Cover the dish with foil again and bake for another 30 minutes.
STEP 6: Remove the foil and return the casserole to the oven for another 30 to 45 minutes. During this final stage, the sauce should become hot and bubbly, the potatoes should finish softening, and the exposed edges should begin turning lightly golden.
STEP 7: Check that the potatoes are tender when pierced and that the pork chops are fully cooked before removing the casserole from the oven. Letting the dish stand briefly before serving can also help the creamy potato mixture settle.
Perfect Pairings
This casserole is already a substantial combination of meat and potatoes, so lighter vegetables make particularly good side dishes.
Steamed green beans: Their fresh, simple flavor balances the rich potato sauce without competing with the pork.
Roasted broccoli: Slightly crisp roasted broccoli adds useful texture beside the soft scalloped potatoes.
Simple green salad: Crisp greens with a lightly tangy dressing can brighten the plate and make the meal feel more balanced.
Can I use a different type of potato?
Yes. Yukon Gold potatoes are particularly well suited to this dish because they have a creamy texture and hold their shape nicely, but another medium potato suitable for baking can also work. Whatever variety you choose, slice the potatoes to roughly the same thickness for even cooking.
Why are the potatoes baked before adding the pork chops?
The potatoes need more time to soften than the pork chops need to cook. Giving them an initial 30-minute covered bake allows them to begin absorbing the milk and butter before the pork goes into the casserole.
This staged approach also helps prevent the pork from spending the entire potato cooking time in the oven.
Do I need to peel the potatoes?
No. Peeling is optional, particularly when using thin-skinned potatoes such as Yukon Golds. Leaving the skins on saves preparation time and gives the finished casserole a slightly more rustic appearance.
If you prefer completely smooth potato layers, peel them before slicing.
How thin should I slice the potatoes?
Aim for slices around 1/8 inch thick. Thin, consistently sized slices cook more evenly and soften more reliably in the creamy sauce.
A sharp chef’s knife works well, although a mandoline can make it easier to produce slices of consistent thickness. If using a mandoline, handle it carefully and use its safety guard.
How do I know when the casserole is done?
Look for several signs rather than relying only on the clock. The potatoes should be easily pierced, the sauce should be bubbling, and the exposed potato edges should have some light browning.
The pork chops should also be fully cooked. For the most reliable check, use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of a chop without touching the bone. Pork is considered safely cooked when it reaches 145°F, followed by a short rest.
Helpful Tips
- Keep the potato slices consistent. Slices around 1/8 inch thick are much more likely to cook at the same rate, preventing a mixture of soft and undercooked potatoes.
- Do not skip the covered stages. Foil traps steam inside the baking dish, helping the potatoes soften before the final uncovered bake creates lightly browned edges.
- Season each layer lightly. Adding a little salt and pepper as you assemble the potatoes distributes seasoning more evenly than adding it only to the top.
Keeping Leftovers Fresh
Allow leftover pork chops and scalloped potatoes to cool before transferring them to an airtight container. Refrigerate them promptly and use within about 3 to 4 days.
You can also keep the leftovers together in the original baking dish if it can be covered securely. This can make reheating especially convenient when you have several portions remaining.
For reheating in the oven, place the desired amount in an oven-safe dish, cover it loosely, and warm at a moderate temperature until the potatoes and pork are heated through. Covering the dish for most of the reheating time helps prevent the potatoes from drying out.
Individual servings can also be reheated in the microwave. Heat in shorter intervals and check between each one so the potatoes warm evenly without overheating the pork.
Freezing is possible, although the texture of the creamy potato sauce may change after thawing because dairy-based sauces can sometimes separate. For the most enjoyable texture, this casserole is generally better refrigerated and reheated within a few days.
The combination of tender pork, creamy potatoes, mild onion, and buttery sauce makes this an especially practical dinner for cool evenings, Sunday meals, or any time you want classic comfort food from one baking dish. The staged cooking method takes a little time, but most of that time is hands-off, leaving the oven to do the work while the potatoes become tender and the pork cooks above them.
Scalloped Potatoes and Pork Chops
Ingredients
For the potato layer:
- 8 medium Yukon Gold or similar potatoes cut into thin slices approximately 1/8 inch thick; peel if desired
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup finely diced onion
- 2 cups milk; whole milk may be used for a richer sauce
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter divided and cut into small pats
- Salt as needed
- Ground black pepper as needed
For the pork chops:
- 6 bone-in pork chops approximately 1 inch thick
- Salt to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Use approximately 1/2 tablespoon of the measured butter to thoroughly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.
- Arrange half of the thinly sliced potatoes in an even layer across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Distribute half of the flour and half of the finely diced onion over the potatoes. Dot the surface with half of the remaining 5 1/2 tablespoons of butter, then season with salt and black pepper according to taste.
- Create a second layer using the remaining potatoes, flour, onion, and butter. Season once more with salt and pepper.
- Pour the 2 cups of milk evenly over the assembled potato mixture.
- Cover the baking dish securely with aluminum foil. Transfer it to the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes, allowing the potatoes to begin softening.
- While the potatoes are baking, season all six pork chops on both sides with salt and black pepper. Allow them to come toward room temperature while the potatoes complete their initial baking period.
- After 30 minutes, remove the baking dish from the oven. Carefully stir the potato mixture to redistribute the ingredients and encourage even cooking.
- Place the seasoned pork chops in a single layer over the partially cooked potatoes.
- Cover the baking dish again with foil and return it to the oven. Bake for another 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 30 to 45 minutes.
- The dish is ready when the pork chops are very tender, the potato mixture is hot and bubbling, and the potatoes around the edges are beginning to turn golden brown.